Memories of a Feather
by angelic1090
Summary: A two-part story preluding Escaflowne: Dreams of Destiny. Van and Hitomi, on two different worlds, still think of each other. Their thoughts on each other, from Earth and Gaea, 1 year after the series ends.
1. My Angel

feathers1 ****

Memories of a Feather

[_AN: Hello Everyone! This is my attempt at a two-part one-shot, a SHORT story for once, and hopefully... it'll turn out the way I want. Some Van/Hitomi romance, as always, though not as literal as in Dreams of Destiny. I suppose you can consider this another SHORT prelude, though it isn't part of Separate Paths. It could also be a stand-alone. Whatever. This hit me in a flash of inspiration while I was writing Episode 24 for Dreams. Anyway, hope you like, and read and review!_]

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*** Flashback ***

"I'll never forget you Van!"

"Hitomi..."

"I'll never forget. I promise!"

And with that, Hitomi Kanzaki, the seer of the Mystic Moon, was once again swept up in the pillar of light, and back to another world.

*** End Flashback ***

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Hitomi looked wistfully up at the moon in the sky, longing for just a glimpse of the world where she met her angel.

Van Fanel.

How she missed him. It had already been a year since their last meeting, but even the day after she had longed for him, and she still did. Though she hadn't realised it until precious moments before her imminent departure, she had loved him that entire time, and would the rest of her life. 

She would give up everything to be with him, this entire world, her friends, and even her family.

If Fate would just give her one chance - one chance - she would leave Earth forever to be with him in the way they had never been able to.

But even if she could go back, and _did_ go back... what if... what if he no longer wanted her? If he had forgotten? He was a king, she knew, and thus had a duty towards Fanelia to find a queen and produce an heir.

She understood that, and though the thought of Van with someone else pained her, the thought of him forgetting her, even the thought of him even thinking about loving someone else was like a knife through the heart, she understood. He had duties to his people.

Something struck Hitomi. No, she might have doubts about how Van was doing now, but she knew he would never forget, just as she would. He had promised that they would always be able to see each other, maybe not in flesh, but in their hearts and minds.

Though it might seem that the bond they shared had disappeared, it was still there. He was alive, and healthy, and all right. Perhaps it was stretched by the distance, and to make it stronger again she would just have to get closer to him.

And she would someday. He had promised never to forget what had happened, what had brought them together, and she promised the same.

They were two halves of a whole, meant to be together no matter how long it took. She had willingly and lovingly accepted everything about him, even the beautiful wings he hid from the rest of the world because he thought it was a curse. His temper, his appearance, his friends. She loved them all, though it was his heart she would hold dear to her the most for all eternity.

Hitomi looked at the pristine white feather in her hand. His feather, borne of angel wings.

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Van Fanel... she thought.

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Van Fanel...

I will never forget you.

I will never stop loving you.

And someday... I'll see you again.

To stay.

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Hello!

SHEESH, was this thing short! Again, this is the first part of a two-part story, but... still! One chapter in Escaflowne: Dreams of Destiny is at least 7 pages - and this is three! Short sweet, and, as I said, with hints of Van and Hitomi romance. Not a lot, obviously, since they are on 2 different worlds, but thoughtful.

I HOPE this was insightful to you and Hitomi's character. I didn't want to delve in too deep; otherwise I might end up with another 24+ chapter story, but the descriptions of Hitomi thinking of Van fit well... I think. The second part to this will be from Van's POV, though still in third person, and on Gaea. Hope you like this quick, short, story of mine, and read and review!

Sincerely Yours,

Angelic1090  
05.18.2001


	2. Hitomi... does she even remember me?

feathers2 ****

Memories of a Feather

[_AN: Hello Everyone! This is the second part of my attempt at a two-part one-shot, a SHORT story for once, and hopefully... it'll turn out the way I want. Some Van/Hitomi romance, as always, though not as literal as in Dreams of Destiny. Focusing on Van this time, since last time was Hitomi. I get the feeling that this has a sense of poetry in it, which I'm glad for because I am a poet, and it was what made me enthusiastic about writing - I even have some poems published!_

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*** Flashback ***

"I'll never forget you Van!"

"Hitomi..."

"I'll never forget. I promise!"

And with that, Hitomi Kanzaki, the seer of the Mystic Moon, was once again swept up in the pillar of light, and back to another world.

*** End Flashback ***

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With a sigh of relief, Van Slanzar de Fanel leaned back contentedly on the rooftop of the newly built windmill, just outside the capital of Fanelia. It had been another long day, filled with work to be done, and people to be met.

It had been such a whirlwind this past year. Fanelia was still in the process of being rebuilt, and it was a rare moment such as this when he was allowed to just lay back and think, of things aside from his duties as a ruler.

Without fail, just as any moment before, his mind drifted off to the girl that had captured his heart only but a year ago.

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Hitomi...

Van looked up at the beauty of the two moons hanging in the sky, one clearly outshining the other with its vibrant colors that spoke of life and beauty...

And Hitomi.

No matter what he was doing, no matter how tired are worn he might feel, Van always found his thoughts drifting to the emerald-eyed beauty.

He wondered if she still remembered him, just like she had promised. If she remembered their adventures together, if she thought of him as often as he did of her. If she thought of him at all.

It was so hectic now, rebuilding the country and making it a formidable power on Gaea. At first Van only had advisors he barely remembered, and Merle, of course, but only a few months ago he had discovered that he had family - _living_ family, and thus Kirei Avan de Fanel came to the capital and was now his right-hand man to put it simply, leader of the Fanelian foot and guymelef units.

He was proud of his country, of the Fanelia that they were all building together, at its success, but there was still something missing in his life.

Namely, his heart. Hitomi, no matter how he had not wished to admit it before, completed him in a way that he _knew_ no one else ever could, or possibly come close to matching. He had been torn, surely, when Balgus had died, and Fanelia destroyed, and ripped apart emotionally when he had learned of Folken's betrayal - and then his death. But in the end, with Hitomi, he felt... better. More whole. And happier. And he knew that all he wanted in life, no matter what else might occur, was to be with her.

And yet, and yet, he had let her go.

How he regretted that. He knew she was happy, their bond, stretched as it was, allowed him to know that. But he wondered how she was doing, what she looked like now - had she changed? - and, no matter how much it hurt to even brush the possibility, if she had forgotten him - and fallen in love again.

He shook his head in resistance. Hitomi would not forget. She had made the promise, just as he did. And even if he didn't know all that much about Fate, he knew they were meant to be.

And someday she would return to him.

And he would welcome her, and ask her to stay forever this time, granting them the eternity they were always meant to have.

Van looked at the sky one last time.

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Hitomi...

Hitomi...

I miss you so much, my angel, but someday I'll see you again. I know it.

I love you Hitomi, forever.

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Hello!

A bit more poignant I think, and longer by a page than Hitomi's view. I hope you like, I'm proud of my short story, and this one is a bit more insightful. Not much else to say, except I hope you enjoyed!

Sincerely Yours,

Angelic1090  
05.21.2001


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